No Bake Peanut Butter Bars

These no-bake peanut butter bars have the flavor of my beloved Buckeye Balls! A chocolate cookie crust is a base while creamy peanut butter layer and chocolate finish out the layers!

I love making Buckeye Balls for the holidays! I usually make a double or a triple batch just for our little family of five. I feel like I have perfected my recipe; they are so rich and so creamy…they totally melt in your mouth (I really should share the recipe with you all).

The problem is I make so many and then we eat so many that by the time December 25th finally rolls around, we can’t bear to look, smell, taste or touch another Buckeye Ball.

While they are something I could make and eat in the spring or summer months, it somehow seems wrong. It would be like putting up your holiday decorations in March… it is just not done.

Peanut butter and chocolate are classic pairs and they are a pair I wholeheartedly adore (for proof, check out these chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting). A great way to get a quick fix is to make these No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars!

What Are No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

No-bake peanut butter bars that consist of 3 layers; a cookie crust, a creamy peanut butter layer, and a velvety chocolate layer. None of the layers are complicated and none require that you turn on the oven!

How To Make No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

This recipe starts by preparing your cookie crust. I chose to use Oreo Cookies that I pulsed into fine crumbs with my food processor. But chocolate wafer cookies or chocolate graham crackers will work just as well.

In a saucepan, melt together butter and chocolate chips (semi-sweet chocolate chips are fine) until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate wafer crumbs. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch baking pan. Place crumb layer in the fridge while you prepare the peanut butter layer.

For the peanut butter layer, beat together butter, vanilla, and peanut butter until creamy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until combined. Spread the peanut butter mixture over the cookie crumbs. Place the pan in the fridge once again while you prepare the chocolate topping.

In a small saucepan melt more chocolate and butter together until smooth then pour over the peanut butter layer. Allow the peanut butter bars to set in the fridge before cutting into squares.

Can You Freeze No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars?

Yes! These bars freeze remarkably well. Once the bars have set and have been cut into squares, cover the pan with plastic wrap and foil and freeze the bars for 1-2 months.

How To Take Your No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars To The Next Level

Make No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars with Rice Krispies stirred into the peanut butter layer for a surprising crunch.

Stir in chopped peanuts into your peanut butter layer.

Stir broken up pretzel pieces into your peanut butter layer.

Top your bars with a mix of peanut butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips!

If you are a fan of Reeses Peanut Butter Cups or of buckeye balls like myself, then you have to make these bars asap! This is an easy dessert that is appropriate for any occasion and for any season! Plus, you cannot beat a no-bake recipe!

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No Bake Peanut Butter Bars

Yield: 24

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour35 minutes

These no-bake peanut butter bars have the flavor of my beloved Buckeye Balls! A chocolate cookie crust is a base while creamy peanut butter layer and chocolate finish out the layers!

Ingredients

½ cup butter

1 10 oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 cups Oreo cookie ( pulsed into crumbs)

¼ cup butter softened

1 tablespoon milk

½ cup creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

⅓ cup butter

Instructions

Lightly grease a 9-inch square pan with shortening or cooking spray.

In 2-quart saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in cookie crumbs until well mixed; press evenly in pan. Refrigerate until firm, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat 1/4 cup butter, the milk, vanilla and peanut butter with electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed. On low speed, gradually beat in powdered sugar until smooth.